Self-propelling vehicle.



No. 63|,437. Patented Aug. 22, I899;

' n. H. PLASS.

SELF PROPELLING VEHICLE.

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1899.) ("0 Mod l.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Aug. 22, I899.v

B. H. PLASS. SELF PBDPELLING VEHICLE.

(ApplicMion filed 3:11:59, 1899.)

3 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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(No Mode") Patented Aug. 22, 1899. R. H. PLASS.

SELF PROPELLING VEHICLE.

led 11111.9 1899.

(Applic 3 Shee ts 3 I T H mm mummy U NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

REUBEN n. PLAss, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AssieNoR TO ISABELLA o. PLASS,

' OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631, 37, dated August22, 1899.

-Application filedilannary 9,1899. Serial No. 701 ,643. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-LREUBENH. PLASS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'re'sidin g at New York, (Brooklyn,) in thecounty of KingsandSta'te of New York, have inven'tedcert'ain' new and usefulImprovements in Self-Propellin g Vehicles and I do herebydeclare'the'followin'g to be a full, clear, and exact description'of-theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. 7 7

This invention relates -to self propelling vehicles.

The object of the invention is to produce a self-propelling vehiclewhich shall be so constructed as to be capable of being guided withcase,shall be adapted for making sharp turns or going around sharp-cornerswithout dragging or cramping of the wheels, and which can be run by anunskilled person without.

danger.

With these objects in 'view the invention consists, essentially, of avehicle of the kind described, comprising an engine having its shaftprovided with a friction-head, a shaft having two friction-wheelsarranged thereon on opposite sides of the friction-head,'thefriction-wheels being capable of sliding to ward and away from thefriction-head, an axle connected to the shaft, two wheels looselymounted on the shaft, clutches for connecting the wheels to the axle,and levers connected to the clutch and extending. to points adjacent tothe side of the vehicle.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a plan View of a vehicle constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view, the seatbeing removed. Fig. 4 is a side view, the side of the body being brokenaway. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, particularly showing themeans for operating the connection between the engine and the axle ofthe driving-wheels of the vehicle. Fig. 6

Fig. 7 is a front view of the vehicle; and Fig. 8 is a rear view,'theclutches for connecting the rear wheels'to the axlebeing shown insection.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the vehicle, which is, asshown, provided with a front wheel A, mounted on a rod'capable ofrotating in suitable hearings in the front of the body, and with a rearaxle A fixed to the body and having thereon supporting wheelsA A 1 Thefrontwheel-A is mounted on a rod 0,

. and ithas attached to its upper end a handle- .bar a,'adja'cent to onehandle of which is placed the brake-lever, which operates thereciprocating brake=rod a having a shoe a designed to bear on the upperface of the wheel A.

Suitably arranged beneath the seat of the vehicle and attached to thefloor thereof is an engine'B, which is preferably of the wellknownnaphtha type. A tank 0 for containing naphtha is connected by a pipe 0with a pump D, and the pump is operated by an eccentric on the shaft Eof the engine to inject charges of naphtha into the engine. The sparknecessary to explode the charges is provided by a current of electricityconducted from a battery F to the engine by c0nductors ff.

The rear end of the mainshaft E of the engine is provided with afriction-head E, and on a counter-shaft Gare mounted frictionwheels G G,capable of being slid on the counter-shaft to be brought into contactwith the friction-wheel E. Each of.the frictionwheels G G is providedwith two grooves g g.

The rear axle H of the vehicle is mounted in bearings h h on the body ofthe vehicle, and it has arranged upon it the supportingwheels A A andthe pulleys H H Endless belts or chains I I pass around the pulleys H Hand are received by the grooves of the friction-wheels G G.

.The supporting-wheels A A are loosely mounted on the axle H and areconnected to 5 respectively, against the body of the vehicle at one endand against one of the blo ks at the other end.

Levers K, pivoted in brackets Ii", project- 1 ing from the sides of thebody of the vehicle at the sides, have handles it in positions to begrasped by an occupant of the vehicle at one end and at the other endhave forks entering grooves in the blocks J. Either or both of thewheels H H are thus rendered capable of being quickly detached from theaxle.

The direction of movement of the vehicle is regulated by foot-levers LL, mounted on the floor of the vehicle in a convenient position to bedepressed by the feet of an occupant. Each lever is connected by a chainZ to a bell-crank lever Z, having a projection Z entering the groove 9in one of the frictionwheels. A spring Z is arranged beneath each leverL and serves to keep the levers in their normal positions when notdepressed:

From the construction and arrangement of parts described it will be seenthat the vehicle is particularly adapted for use in places where it isrequired that short turns be made. 'By pressing one or the other of thelevers L, and consequently bringing one or the other of thefriction-wheels into contact with the friction-head on the engine-shaftto move the vehicle in the desired direction, and by turning the frontwheel to a position at right angles to the body and then disconnectingthe proper wheel H from its axle the vehicle may be caused to turn in adistance corresponding to its length. Longer turns may be made by givingthe front less angles to the body of the vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A vehicle of the kind described comprising an engine having its shaftprovided with a friction-head, a shaft having two frictionwheelsarranged thereon, on opposite sides ofthefriction-head,thefriction-wheels being capable of sliding toward andaway from the friction-head, an axle connected to the shaft, two wheelsloosely mounted on the axle, clutches for connecting the wheels to theaxle, and levers connected to the clutch and extending to pointsadjacent to the seat of the vehicle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN H. PLASS. Witnesses:

CHARLES L. FRAILEY, WILLIAM R. KENNEDY.

